Machine for harvesting and shocking cornstalks.



Patentedlan. 9, |900. T. S-HIELDS. MACHINE FOR HARVESTING AND SHUGKING CUBNSTALKS.

(Application filed Mar. 1, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet Ih (No Model.)

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No. 64l,047. Patented 1an. 9, |900. T. SHIELDS. MACHINE F08 HABVESTING AND SHOCKING GORNSTALKS.

(No Model.)

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THOMAS sHIELDs, orwns'i" wooDvILLE, omo.

MACHINE Foa H-ARVESTING AND sH'ooKlNe ooRNsTALKe.

siencrrcntrron forming para of Letters Patent No". 641,047, aai-.ea January e, 1900.

Application flied March 1,1899.

T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SHIELDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Woodville, in the county of Clermont and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Machine for Harvesting and Shocking Cornstalks, of which the following is a specication. v

My invention relates to improvements in machines for harvesting and shocking cornstalks; and the primary object of the invention is to provide a construction by which the standing stalks may be cut close to the ground, stacked on the machine for binding in a shock, and the shock discharged in its bound condition from the ,machine to stand on the ground in as good condition as can be effected by harvesting and shocking the stalks by hand.

A further object of theinvention is to provide means by which the shock may be discharged from the machine and stood upright on the ground with minimum effort on the part of the operator, and this shock-removin g appliance may be readily and easily disengaged or Withdrawn from the shock after it is discharged from the machine without requiring the attendant to lift the weight of the shock.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the novel combination of elements and in the construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafterfully described and claimed.

To enable others to understand the invention, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cornshocking machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section withV the platform tilted to its dumping position for discharging the shock from the machine. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on the plane indicated by the dotted line 11 et of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 `is a detail perspective View of the appliance for removing the shock from the dumping-platform.

Like numerals of reference denote like and seria No. vomez. (No model.)

corresponding parts in each of the several figures of the drawings.

.The carrying-frame of my improved stalk'- shocking machine comprises the head-block 11, the inclined side rails 12, a rear cross-rail 13, an intermediate cross-bar 14, and a front cross-bar 15. These parts are arranged substantially as shown by the drawings, and they are united firmly together to secure a substantial construction of the carrying-frame. The head-block 11 lies at the front of the machine, and it serves to support the cross-bar 15, which is arranged to rest on said headblock. The side rails 12 are inclined to diverge from the head-block to the rear crossrail13, thus giving to the frame a tapered construction when viewed in plan, and the cross-bar 14 is arranged below the side rails and in the vertical plane of the gearing for driving the cutting devices in order to protect the gearing from standing stalks as Well as to brace the side rails 12, to which said cross-bar 14 is secured.

The rear end ofthe machine is supported by the carrying-Wheels 16, that are fastened to the transverse axle 17,journaled in proper bearings at the rear end of the machineframe, and the axle is arranged-to rotate with the carrying-Wheels in order to impart motion to the revoluble cutters.' The front end of the machine is supported by one or more caster-wheels 18, each of which is supported in a hanger 19, that is attached to the headblock 11, and these caster-wheels and their hangers are arranged to turn freely in a horizontal plane in order that the machine may be properly guided between the rows of cornstalks. The carrying-wheels and the casters are of small diameter and are mounted on the frame to support the latter close down to the ground, and the cutter devices, which are mounted on the frame, are thus adapted to cut the standing stalks close to the ground.

For the purpose of supporting the dumpingplatform in a manner for the latter to slide longitudinally of the machine the carryingframe is equipped with longitudinal guiderails 20, which are arranged to properly support the dumping-platform 21. The platform is of a length greater than the carryingframe; but its width is less than that of the IOO rear end of the frame. The platform is arranged in a horizontal plane above the guiderails to rest firmly thereon undernormal conditions of service, and the front end of this plat-form lies flush, or substantially so, with the front upper cross-bar 15 of the frame. This platform is equipped with guides 22, of any suitable construction, that are arranged to engage with the opposing faces of the rails 20 to prevent edgewise displacement of the platform in a direction transversely across the machine; but these guides are not positively connected with the rails,so that the platform may tilt to the inclined position when it is drawn rearwardly for the purpose of dumping or unloading the shock. The rearward or dumping movement of the platform is limited by means of straps, bands, or cables 23,which are made of any suitable pliable material and are attached to the platform and the carrying-frame. These limiting-straps have their front ends fastened to the platform and their rear ends attached to the frame at or near the middle of the latter, and the straps permit the platform to move or travel a limited distance on the frame in a rearward direction, so that said platform may slide backward on the frame and be tilted to its inclined dumping position by the Weight of the shock which is supported thereon. These straps prevent the platform from becoming disconnected from the carrying-frame, and when the platform is tilted and the machine is drawn in a forward direction the straps serve to drag the platform along with the machine.

The platform is equipped with the guardrails 24, which are disposed at or near opposite sides of said platform and are firmly secured thereto by the vertical bars 25. The bottom bars 26 are fastened to the lower ends of the vertical bars 25 to rest upon the platform, and the guard-rails 24 are bent outwardly attheir front ends, as at 27, to enable the operator to readily grasp the stalks as they are cut and delivered to the machine.

A shocking-post 28 is connected detachably to the platform at a point intermediate of its length near the rear ends of the guard-rails 24. This shocking-post is provided with a pointed lower end 29, and said lower end is fitted in a vertical socket or aperture 30 of the platform, so as to connect the post detachably to the latter. Said post 28 support-s or carries the horizontal curved bar 31, which is fastened firmly to the upper end of the post and provides a surface against which the cornstalks may lean in building up the shock on the platform. To the ends of this horizontal bar 3l are connected links 32, which engage with staple-like keepers 33, and these links serve to connect the bar 31 with the rear ends of the guard-rails in order to hold the post 28 firmly in place, said links being disconnected when the post is removed from the platform. The pointed lower end 29 of the post enables the latter to be thrust into the ground, so as to be fastened firmly therein, and with this post when it is planted in the ground is connected a removing appliance, by which the shock may be readily drawn from the platform, as will hereinafter appear.

A bitching-post 34 is fastened securely to the cross-bar 15 of the frame, and this post is provided with a steadying-bar 35, which may be grasped by the operator in order to steady himself on the machine in the act of gathering the cornstalks.

The platform is conned in its horizontal position on the guide-rails 2O by a locking device 36, which is illustrated in the drawings as a button pivoted at 37 to the cross-bar 15 of the frame. This locking device may be adj usted to span the space between the rail 15 and the front end of the platform, and said locking device bears upon the platform to prevent the front end thereof from lifting up under the weight of the shock or the load on the platform. l

For the purpose of guiding the standing stalks properly to the cutter appliance I provide the detiecting-bars 38 on opposite sides of the machine-frame, and these bars are secured firmly in place to the side rails 12 by bolts 39 or other equivalent appliances. The front ends of the detlecting-bars 38 have inclined faces 40, which are opposed to the inclined rails 12, thus forming tapering throats or spaces between the deflecting-loars and the side rails, into which the cornstalks are received when the machine is drawn between the rows of stalks. The cutters 41 are arranged to project across the tapering throats or spaces between the bars 38 and the machine frame, and these cutters sever the stalks close to the ground and at points on opposite sides of the front end of the platform, so that the stalks may be readily grasped by the operator, who stands on the platform. The cutters maybe either stationary or revoluble, and when stationary cutters are employed they are designed to be fastened in place on the machine-frame. l have shown the cutters as 'revoluble disks 41, each of which is carried by a shaft 42 to be rotated in a horizontal plane across the throats or spaces between the bars 38 and the machineframe. Each revoluble disk may have a continuous sharpened cutting edge, as shown by Fig. 1 of the drawings; but this form of the cutter may be modified by providing a series of teeth or serrations, as indicated at 41n in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The revoluble cutter-shafts 42 occupy vertical positions at or near opposite sides of the frame, and they are journaled in proper bearings 43 for the purpose of having their lower ends driven byl a transverse horizontal shaft 44 through the intermediate beveled gears 45, one of said gears being fastened to each shaft 42 and the other gears being revoluble with the shaft 44. This driving-shaft is journaled in proper bearings above the intermediate lower cross-bar 14, and on the shaft is a sprocket 46, that is connected by an endless chain 47 with the ICO IIO

sprocket 48 on the rear axle 17, whereby the aXle serves to propel the revoluble cuttershafts through the intermediate gearing.

The shock-removing applianceof my machine is represented by Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings, and it is arranged on the platform 2l for the shock to be built thereon in the act of harvesting the cornstalks; but to pull the shock from the platform in order to unload the machine this removing appliance is connected with vthe post 2S when the latter is planted in the ground. The shock-removing appliance consists of a cable or rope-49 and a series of transverse spaced bars 50. Each of these bars is provided at one end with a transverse aperture 5l, and one branch or length of the cable 49 is carried through the apertures 51 of the series of bars, said length of the cable being provided with suitable stop devices 52, which may be formed by knotting the cable on opposite sides of each bar, thereby loosely and permanently connecting the series of bars at one end thereof to one length of the cable. The other ends of the parallel bars 50 are provided With notches 53, and the other length of the cable has a series of rings or loops 54, which are iitted detachably in the notched ends of the bars. The looped end or bight of the cable is adapted to be coiled or fastened detachably to the post 28 when the machine is used for harvesting the cornstalks, While the bars 50 rest upon the platform in positions transversely across the latter and between the bottom bars 26,which prevent endwise displacement of the bars 50, forming parts of the shock-removing appliance.

The operation is as follows: The platform rests on the guide-rails and is confined against movement thereon by the guides 22 and the locking device 36. The post 28 is iitted to the 'socket on the platform,'and the links 32 connect the curved bar of the post to the guard-rails 24. The removing appliance has its bars 50 resting on the platform between the bottom bars 26, and the looped end of the cable 49 is or may be wrapped around the post 23. The machine is drawnv between adjoining rows of cornstalks, which. are directed to the cutters by the bars 38, and the stalks are severed close to the ground by the cutters. One or two operators stand on the platform to gather the stalks as they are cut on the advancement of the machine, and the stalks are placed against the curved bar 3l sov as to stand on end over the removing appliance, the lower ends of the stalks extending into the spaces between the bars 50. When a suflicient numberof stalks have been cut and gathered to form a shock, the team is halted and the shock is bound in the ordinary way. The operator now disconnects the cable 49 from the post, detachee the links 32,

and withdraws the post 28 from its socket in of the cable 49 is now fitted over the post. The team is now started to draw the machine forward a short distance, and the pull of the cable 49 draws the shock and the platform in a rearward direction until the platform moves a sufficient distance to tilt to the inclined position shown by Fig. 3. The rearward and dumping movement of the platform is limited by the straps 23, and a continued forward movement of the machine causes the cable 49 and the bars 50 to drag the shock from theinclined platform,whereby the shock may be deposited in a vertical position on the ground. The operator now disconnects the rings or loops 54 from the notched ends of the bars 50, thereby releasing one length of the cable from the bars and permitting the bars to be withdrawn from the shockywhereby the operator is not required to lift the weight of the shock in order to disconnect the shock-removing appliance from the shock itself. Previous to starting the machine into use the platform is moved forward to rest on the guide-rails and be confined by the locking device, the post 28 is withdrawn from the ground and replaced on the platform, and the bars of the removing appliance are then fitted on the platform in front of the post and between the bars 26, as shown by Fig. 2..

In the drawings the guide arms 38 are shown as lying on a horizontal plane below the cutter-disks; but this is not essential, because said arms may be arranged in the same plane as the cutter-disks and opposite to the same in order that the disks may press the stalks against the arms to secure increased efficiency in the cutting operation.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and thel minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacriicing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim isl. A corn-harvester comprising a wheeled frame having an elevated permanent standing platform at its frontend, horizontalrevoluble cutters mounted on said frame in substantially the plane of said standing platform and having their working edges arranged to sweep beyond the rear and end edges of the platform, and a load-platform mounted slidably on said frame to abut against the standing platform and in lapping relation to said cutters, said load-platform adapted to slide rearwardly on the frame away from the cutters and, at the limit of its rearward movement, to tilt into a dumping position, substantially as described.

2. A corn-harvester comprising a Wheeled frame having an elevated permanent standing platform at its front end, horizontally-revoluble cutters mounted on said frame in substantially the plane of the standing platform and having their working edges arranged to sweep beyond the rear and end edges of said platform, a load-platform mounted slidably onsaid frame to abut against the standing plat- IOO IIO

form and in lapping relation to the revoluble cutters, and limiting-straps attached to said frame and to the load-platform to arrest the rearward slidable movement of the latter and to permit it to assume a dumping position after having moved clear of the cutters, substantially as described.

3. A corn-harvester comprising a wheeled frame having an elevated, permanent standing platform at its front end, horizontallyrevoluble cutters mounted on said frame in the plane of the standing platform and having their working edges arranged to sweep beyond the rear and end edges of said platform, a loading-platform mounted slidably on said frame' to abut against the standing platform and in lapping relation to the cutters, and the inclined deflecting-bars fixed to the sides of said frame and projecting forwardly across the meeting line between the standing and load platforms, said frame and deflectingbars being inclined one to the other to form tapering throats across which the cutters are adapted to rotate, substantially as described.

4. A corn-harvester comprising a frame having an elevated permanent standing platform at its front end, horiZontally-revoluble cutters mounted on said frame in the horizontal plane of the standing platform and having their working edges arranged to sweep beyond the rear and end ed ges of said platform, aloadplatform mounted slidably on Vsaid frame to abut against the standing platform and in lapping relation to the cutters, a wheeled axle below the load-platform,vertical cutter-shafts carrying the revoluble cutters and projecting below the standing platform, a transverse shaft journaledin said frame below the standing platform and geared to said cutter-shaf ts, and gearing between the axle and the transverse shaft, for the purpose described, substantially as set forth.

5. A corn-harvester comprising a wheeled frame having an elevated permanent standing platform, horizontal revoluble cutters mounted on said frame, a load-platform supported slidably on said frame to abut against the standing platform in lapping relation to said cutters, guard-rails 24, supported on opposite sides of said load-platform, a post secured re'- movably to the load-platform and disposed between the guard-rails, a stacking-bar fixed to said post, and links connected to the stacking-bar and the guard-rails, substantially as described.

6. In a corn-shocking machine, a shock-removing appliance consisting of a cable and a series of bars connected at one end with the cable and having their other ends detachably fastened to the cable, substantially as described.

7. In a corn-shocking machine, a shock-removing appliance consisting of a looped cable and a series of cross-bars connected permanently at one end with a length of the cable and detachably fastened at the other end to another length of said cable, substantially' as described.

8. In a corn-shocking machine, a shock-removing appliance comprising a looped cable having one length thereof provided with aseries of spaced rings, a series of bars fitted to one length of the cable and notched to receive the rings or loops, and stops on the length of the cable to which each bar is permanently connected at one end thereof, substantially as described.

9. In a corn-shocking machine, the combination with a wheel-f rame, of a du mping-platform carried by said frame and provided with guard-rails at the sides thereof, a post detachably fitted to the platform and having detachable linked connections with the guard-rails, and a shock-removing appliance comprising bars united by a cable, said appliance having its bars resting on the platform and confined against endwise displacement thereon; said post being adapted to be planted in the ground and the cable of the shock-removing appliance fitted to said post, for the purpose described, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS SI-IIELDS.

Witnesses:

R. M. RILEA, N. G. CHAMBER. 

